Transporting NZ CEO moves to Infrastructure NZ

Date: 04.04.2023

After serving four-and-a-half years as the chief executive of Transporting New Zealand, Nick Leggett is set to transition to Infrastructure NZ

Nick Leggett, the chief executive of Transporting New Zealand, is set to transition to Infrastructure New Zealand after serving four-and-a-half years.

Leggett expressed his gratitude for having the opportunity to work for the transport industry and acknowledged the people of the industry who work together to move freight.

"Most people don’t know the trials and tribulations of the work, because the industry does such a great job."

Leggett says road transport continues to perform despite the challenges faced due to the COVID pandemic, economic pressures, and recent extreme weather events.

"Road transport keeps moving even when the rest of us stop."

Asked what the key challenges for the industry are moving forward, Leggett says: "The industry struggles every day to project a coherent case and advocate effectively to Government because it continues to have three industry organisations, instead of just one. This makes no sense. Everywhere I go, people who work with the industry tell me that there should be one organisation.

"If you strongly believe that, I challenge you to do something about it. Please put your money where your mouth is. I’ve been proud to work for Transporting New Zealand because it’s the only organisation that actively supports a merger into one organisation."

Leggett launched the Road to success traineeship programme, which offers qualifications to aspiring truckers.

"Seeing the businesses and the men and women who work in the trucking industry increase their profile has been hugely satisfying.

 "The people who do the work day and night to keep the trucks moving deserve to have their stories told in the media and to Government.

"When it comes to training, the only people who are going to invest to train and qualify drivers is you. Road to success gives all businesses, whether they are large or small, a nationally recognised training pathway with real qualifications. The collective mindset of the industry often is that training is someone else’s job and that people will just leave after employers invest in them. I think it was Bill Richardson who said that he’d rather train someone and see them leave, than not train them and have them stay."

Transporting New Zealand general manager Dom Kalasih will become acting CEO until a new chief executive is chosen.

"We wish Nick all the very best in his future endeavours and thank him for his work," says Transporting New Zealand chair, Warwick Wilshier.

"Nick has brought a whole new dynamic to an industry that needs to embrace change. We need to empower our young people to lead, and he has certainly created the platform for that to happen. The relationships that Nick has built and the profile that has been created is now in every New Zealander’s mind when they realise that through COVID, earthquakes and cyclones, their everyday necessities are delivered."

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